(SPEEDWAY 1 – TUESDAY REVIEW)
PETERBOROUGH duo Ryan Fisher and Lasse Bjerre pulled off a last-heat 5-1 to secure a 46-44 victory over Somerset in a League Cup thriller at the Showground.The lead changed hands on several occasions throughout the meeting with the deciding race halted after the Rebels’ Nick Morris came to grief – whilst in the re-start Fisher and Bjerre both moved past Somerset top-scorer Olly Allen to give the home side two match points with the visitors taking one.Panthers co-boss Blayne Scroggins said: “I obviously feared the worst when Oliver came flying out of the traps in the re-run, but ‘Fish’ produced a brilliant ride to get past him and Lasse was able to follow him through.
“It was a great way to get our first League Cup win. In an ideal world we wouldn’t have dropped another point at home, but I will concentrate on the positive of beating a very, very good team especially as we are not quite firing on all cylinders ourselves yet.”Cradley established an eight-point advantage over Coventry in the Travel Plus Trophy with a hard-fought 48-40 win at Monmore from which both sides took positives.Stand-in skipper Steve Worrall scored 11 for the Heathens along with guest Ashley Morris, whilst captain James Sarjeant led the way for the Storm on 10.Cradley boss Will Pottinger said: “We're satisfied with an eight point lead for the second leg. There are plenty of encouraging signs, and although there are things to work on we are still feeling positive. First meeting you are always going to have a few gremlins here and there but we came through it to get the win.”Coventry manager Laurence Rogers added: “I’m very pleased with the performance, and eight points is a margin that I’m sure we can pull back.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 – WEDNESDAY PREVIEW)
BIRMINGHAM race their first home Elite League fixture of the season on Wednesday as Lakeside visit Perry Barr.The Brummies have suffered defeats at Wolverhampton and Eastbourne in their two outings so far, whilst the Hammers edged out Swindon in a close encounter at Purfleet last Friday.Birmingham promoter Alan Phillips said: “We have a good set of lads here at Perry Barr and I’m sure they will start winning meetings quickly, starting on Wednesday against Lakeside.“We’ve gone to two of the most difficult tracks in the Elite League and, yes the results were disappointing, but this is our chance to get it right at home with a full strength team.”Meanwhile King’s Lynn Young Stars are in action for the first time in 2014 as they look to build a lead over Scunthorpe in the first leg of their National League KO Cup tie.(SPEEDWAY 3)
CRAIG Cook has underlined the feeling of optimism in the Belle Vue team this season.The Aces launch their Elite League campaign against Swindon next Monday and captain Cook believes their potential is far greater than in previous years.Cook said: “I’m really looking forward now to our first home meeting. There’s definitely something about the team this year that’s different from the previous few seasons.“We’re looking solid, we’re feeing confident and every single guy is out there to give 100%. This hasn’t maybe been the case in recent times but this year we have a team of racers who are going for points regardless of whether they’re at the front or the back.”(SPEEDWAY 4)
SCUNTHORPE will add extra experience to their National League team with the signing of Lee Dicken this weekend.Dicken will come into the injury-hit Stags line-up for their Knockout Cup second leg tie against King’s Lynn on Sunday with Arron Mogridge, Reece Downes and Tyler Govier all on the sidelines.Manager Richard Hollingsworth said: “Lee can’t commit himself to every single meeting, but he will be able to pass on his experience to the other riders.“He will also give the team better shape – Steve Jones will move out of No 1 to No 5 which will benefit him, while it means none of the youngsters have to ride at No 5. Arron Mogridge’s paid six score on Sunday was all the more creditable in that it was scored from the No 5 position.”
(FIXTURES)WEDNESDAY APRIL 2:ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Lakeside 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: King’s Lynn v Scunthorpe 7.30
THURSDAY APRIL 3:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Coventry 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Ipswich v Somerset 7.30, Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30, Sheffield v Newcastle 7.45
